as a diesel engine plant, president obama stood his ground on the fiscal cliff. >> all congress needs to do is pass a law that would prehaven't a tax hike on the first $250 of everybody's income. >> the latest campaign stop had an announcement. business leaders warn this time of investment will suffer without a deal to avoid billions in tax increases and spending cuts next year. >> we have more than -- i think 103 ceos in town last week. the message was sit down, work it out. back in washington there's new momentum. yesterday p many p.m. and house speaker john boehner met one on one for the first time this year. then today staffers continued the private negotiations. the sooner the better, we all know el that. >> reporter: an increasing number of -- >> i actually amb ginning to believe that is the best route for us to take to again shift the focus where it needs to be, which is on entitlements. >> reporter: and budget experts see more democrats open to cutting social security and medicare. >> it's like, gosh, senator durbin, who is very, very close to the president, saying hey, look,